Poor nutrition can do a lot of harm to a child, whether causing fatigue or leading to serious illnesses like obesity and diabetes.

At Kids for Life Fitness, we teach kids the right way to eat so they’ll practice healthy nutrition throughout their lives. Understanding Food, Energy & Hunger:

Certain food groups affect a child's appetite in different ways

Food fuels

Simple carbs

Quick energy

"Burns like paper"

Complex carbs

Longer energy

"Burns like wood"

Protein

Long-term boost

"Burns like coal"

. fruit

. juice

. cake

. candy

. milk

. cookies

. table sugar

. bread

. cereal

. rice

. pasta

. noodles

. potatoes

. red beans

. beef

. fish

. eggs

. milk

. tofu

. pork

. lentils

. legumes

. peanut butter

Understanding Different Food GroupsSimple & Complex Carbohydrates Simple carbohydrates:are also commonly known as “empty calories” when they appear as fast-burning sugars in junk food like candy and soda and often have no nutritional value to the growing body. Complex carbohydrates:What we like to call “the good-for-yah carbs,” complex carbohydrates include slow-burning sugars and essential nutrients such as minerals, vitamins and fiber that keep your child running and jumping throughout the day.

ProteinLike millions of super-tight bands that hold together the muscles, blood, bones and skin in your child’s body, proteins are the perfect ingredients for a taller, stronger, smarter kid. Not having enough protein weakens the entire system, and can make a child prone to stunted growth, injury, and sickness.

Fats and OilsLike swiftly-moving wheelbarrows that carry the most important vitamins and minerals through your child’s bloodstream, fats and oils are essential elements to a child’s diet, providing him or her with

. A high–energy source that burns slower than regular carbohydrates so kids can keep running, jumping, and studying long after the faster-burning carbs wear off.

. Fat-soluble vitamins that carry virus- and injury-fighting A, D, E, and K vitamins through the body. While necessary, fats and oils should be eaten in moderation and carefully monitored throughout your child’s nutrition program.